Friday, May 22, 2015

Marjorie - Seattle

What's in a name? For me, a lot. Maybe
it's the teacher in me; memories of a good kid or not-so-good kid can
predispose me to an opinion. The only Marjorie I ever had in class was
just as sweet as sugar, so I came into Marjorie - the restaurant - with high
expectations. (A teacher should always have high expectations, though,
right?). While the restaurant doesn't dot her i's with a heart, this
place did not disappoint.

We arrived 45 minutes early for our reservation on Friday May 8th,
and almost without even approaching a hostess, we were greeted with a warm
smile. The option for outdoor or indoor seating was given, but how could
we pass up the chance to sit outside on a beautiful evening in Seattle?
The patio is not in the sunlight, but with the heaters, it was
comfortable all night. The metal chairs were colorful, the feel was cozy, and
the lights set the mood for a lovely evening.

Well, hello there, Patio. Sure, I'll take a seat. Thank you.

Menu posted on the window.

As our menus were handed to us, we immediately
ordered a full order of plantain chips with guacamole and added the bay shrimp
ceviche. According to the reviews I read prior to our visit, this is a must.
The plantain chips were great - not greasy, not too sweet, not too salty
- the perfect vehicle for getting food in my mouth. The guac was artfully
presented and the taste was a fresh delight. I think next time I'll skip the
ceviche though; Bay shrimp just isn't my thing. Want to try these
plantains and don't have time to get over to Marjorie for a meal? Hop on
over to Whole Foods to find them! In fact, while you're at it, head on
over to the Marjorie website for the guacamole recipe too!!

Picture Perfect - Eat with
your eyes first!

After the plantains, we picked a few other starters
to get the night rolling. Yeah, I wanted to order everything, but alas, I
had to choose.

Burrata is my first choice, hands down, every time
it's offered, and tonight is no different. I equate burrata to a rich
molten chocolate cake, but made of cheesy goodness. I can't overstate the
deliciousness of their Gioia Burrata with grilled king oyster mushrooms.
Usually I try to leave the last bite for someone else in my group (can't
seem too eager, you know), but I feel sure I had more than my share of this
plate. Love!

Next came the large order of Grilled Octopus.
I don't know when I became such a fan, I can hardly stop myself from
ordering it lately. (If you're sensing self-control issues, so did my
first grade teacher. Some things never change). Luckily our friends
were equally enthralled with the choice. This plate could have been a meal on
its own, with the marble potato, watercress, marcona almonds, and pickled
shallot. It was a nice, sturdy combo.

Our final app of the evening was the King Salmon
Crudo. My single best bite was a crudo at Anchovies and Olives nearby, so I'm
always on the hunt for a good crudo, and this one was gorgeous. Add some blood
orange, red onion, cured olives, with a bit of fresno chili, and there you have
it! A decent palate cleanser before the main plates appear, too.

After the appetizers and our initial
catching-up-on-life conversations, we had a chance to look around and take in
the atmosphere. Dear Ben snapped a pic of the kitchen on his way to the
bathroom. He sent several other pictures of the actual bathroom too.
He was a fan of the record player. You'll have to see for yourself,
I suppose.

We asked our kind server what she liked the best
off of the menu, and she said, though it seems trite, she loves the pizza.
The current combination did have some allure (nettle pesto, baby artichokes,
pecorino, olive, vin cotto, and arugula), but none of us took her suggestion.

Dear Ben and Friend Priscilla went big for the
burger, The True Burger, adding the aged white cheddar. Friend Priscilla
ordered her meat medium well and Dear Ben ordered it as the chef recommends,
which is on the rare side of medium-rare (aka "rare roadkill,"
according to Friend Priscilla). Each wished the meat arrived a little bit
more in the middle, but it didn't stop them eating most of the plate.

I just could not decide what I wanted. I was
strongly leaning toward the Spring Vegetable Fettuccine or the Neah Bay
Halibut. I gave the server the third degree: Which dish has more
flavor? Which dish is more popular? She was steering my toward the
pasta, but I chose the halibut.

Thank goodness Friend David ordered the pasta and
was generous enough to share a bite. That's how you know you've got a true
friend. I actually preferred that homemade dish of thick fettuccine,
almost pappardelle, to the halibut. The taste of springtime in those
sweet English peas and baby artichokes, combined with the innovative twist of
the chickpea puree with Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, white wine, and butter.
That dish, on a night like this one, was pure perfection. In fact,
Friend Priscilla notes that when her Dear David really loves his dish, he will
scrape up any last remnants from the plate, and that's just what he did! I'll
go out on a limb, and advise you to order whatever pasta dish they have on the
menu. They obviously know what they're doing.

With all of that praise of the pasta, I should also
say that my halibut was terrific. Just comparatively, it had a heavier
feel, with the acidity of the tomatoes, the buttery melted leeks, and the
Fiddlehead Ferns (guess where those cute things are in the picture?).
Here's your food education of the day - these delectable additions are
full of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and are high in iron and fiber - and
in real life, they have a nice kick of flavor that I quite enjoyed.

And dessert... Friend Priscilla says it's a must.
"Always," she says. How can you argue with that?
So, we picked two. I am fundamentally against bread pudding; so
much, I can hardly type the words. I had a bad experience with it
probably 15 years ago, and I'm not over it. Friend David gave me a
hard time, "Bread with bourbon? What's not to like?!" I have to
admit, when you put it that way, my aversion does seem silly, so I bucked up
and tried it. Ok, ok, it was good. Brioche bread with bourbon caramel,
toffee, and cream. What's not to like? It's pictured in the bowl.

Now, a S'more. My favorite, favorite, and
with Espresso - Yes, please! House graham, espresso-dark chocolate cremeux, and
a marshmallow brûlée. Just the words alone might have me dancing! Both
desserts were spectacular. Thank goodness, Friend Priscilla is a dessert
girl!

As we got up from the table, I turned to take a quick last glance at
Marjorie. It was a nice night, with a delicious meal from start to
finish, and such wonderful company. Good Night, Miss Marjorie... Till next
time.